diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 289f858..b82d28d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ BUF := buf
 
 GO_PACKAGES := ./...
 SIDECAR_JAR := sidecar/build/libs/sidecar-all.jar
+SIDECAR_EMBED := internal/sidecar/assets/sidecar-all.jar
 SDK_AAR := sdk/android/build/outputs/aar/sdk-android-release.aar
 UATU_BIN := bin/uatu
 
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ uatu: $(UATU_BIN)
 
 $(UATU_BIN): $(SIDECAR_JAR)
 	mkdir -p bin
+	cp $(SIDECAR_JAR) $(SIDECAR_EMBED)
 	$(GO) build -o $(UATU_BIN) ./cmd/uatu
 
 $(SIDECAR_JAR):
diff --git a/cmd/uatu/doctor.go b/cmd/uatu/doctor.go
index db626f8..5e9d095 100644
--- a/cmd/uatu/doctor.go
+++ b/cmd/uatu/doctor.go
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import (
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
+
+	"github.com/priyanshujain/uatu/internal/sidecar"
 )
 
 type doctorCheck struct {
@@ -22,9 +24,20 @@ func defaultDoctorChecks() []doctorCheck {
 		{Name: "adb on PATH", Run: checkExecutableOnPath("adb")},
 		{Name: "emulator on PATH or under ANDROID_HOME", Run: checkEmulator},
 		{Name: "java 17+ on PATH", Run: checkJavaVersion},
+		{Name: "sidecar JAR is real (not placeholder)", Run: checkSidecarJAR},
 	}
 }
 
+func checkSidecarJAR(_ context.Context) error {
+	if sidecar.IsPlaceholder() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("placeholder JAR embedded — run `make sidecar && make uatu` to embed the real fat JAR")
+	}
+	if sidecar.EmbeddedSize() == 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("embedded JAR is empty")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func runDoctorChecks(ctx context.Context, checks []doctorCheck, stdout io.Writer) error {
 	failures := 0
 	for _, check := range checks {